


Five Names Arkady Chose, and One She Didn’t

by jaggedwolf



Category: The Strange Case of Starship Iris (Podcast)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28580829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaggedwolf/pseuds/jaggedwolf
Summary: First name's easy.
Relationships: Arkady Patel & Rumor Crew
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Five Names Arkady Chose, and One She Didn’t

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt "300 words of 5+1"

1.

First name's easy. Three syllables, like her current one. Slips out with a pained grunt. It's from some stupid vid she loved as a kid. Who's she kidding, from some stupid vid she loves.

Last name's a joke. Tantalizingly identifying, till they realize how many people they gotta search through.

2.

There's one that never gets turned into a proper alias. An idle thought during another night in the deep, indulging in an old habit because it might have a use. Alternate name and alternate life. 

But this one's not a soldier, and the war will always be visible on her

3.

"I didn't know there were duchies nearby," says the bearded guy easily. His eyes say otherwise.

She’s got three guns and two knives hidden in this fancy suit. He's not carrying anything, but if he's stayed alive in Neuzo...

"Krejjh." The guy turns away. "Did you?"

A Dwarnian ally, shit.

4.

She gives the coif a tug. Good thing it's not a different religion's building they need to sneak into, or they'd be shit out of luck. 

Okay, not really, bullshitting's a part of the job description, but at least if she gets caught here, less risk of quoting something wrong.

5.

She’s no knight in shining armor, but she'll use his name easy enough.

Only this biologist chick seems to have cast herself as the rescuer, little room elsewise. Full of reassurances that it's okay. Don't beat yourself up over my inevitable death.

Stupid. Now, what can the _Iris_ still do?

+1

It should be a relief to give it up. It isn't.

Spitting out its replacement doesn't stop it pulsing in her ears, a cacophony of voices and tones: joking, relieved, apologetic.

None from the bright-eyed woman kneeling next to her in the back of this shitty truck. Too late now.


End file.
